Updates from Ken Crowder
http://www.leoff1.net/articles/191/1/Updates-from-Ken-Crowder/Page1.html
By Ken Crowder
Published on 08/3/2011
It was a long tiring legislative session but in the end LEOFF 1 prevailed despite the constant battle with WACOPS,WSCFF and FOP. HB2097 was not exactly defeated but it was severely wounded. The Legislature provided $75k for the State Actuary to do an interim study. The LEOFF 11 Board is also looking at the bill and trying to decide what action if any they will take regarding the 2012 session. The bill is still active and can be brought up again next session. Hopefully it won’t but who knows.
It was a long tiring legislative session but in the end LEOFF 1 prevailed despite the constant battle with WACOPS,WSCFF and FOP. HB2097 was not exactly defeated but it was severely wounded. The Legislature provided $75k for the State Actuary to do an interim study. The LEOFF 11 Board is also looking at the bill and trying to decide what action if any they will take regarding the 2012 session. The bill is still active and can be brought up again next session. Hopefully it won’t but who knows.
I am still working with Jerry Taylor,Pres.Seattle Retired and Dick Warbrouck,Pres. Retired Firefighters of Wa. Both of these men have worked tirelessly on LEOFF 1 members behalf. We are still meeting on a regular basis to develop a strategy going forward. Phil Talmadge,Ret. State Supreme Court Chief Justice and ex Senator has been retained to help in the effort. Mr. Talmadge has been quite beneficial in his research regarding constitutional issues surrounding the proposed bill. We have also been in contact with Matt Smith,State Actuary and with Dept. Of Retirement Systems regarding the study committee that was ordered by the Legislature. We will be participating in that committee when in convenes.
In June we attended the LEOFF 11 Board meeting but not much of substance happened. Dick asked the Board to release the outside attorney report done for the Board regarding HB2097 but the request fell on deaf ears. What we did learn was that the members of the Board,with the exception of Steve Nelson Director,Kelly Fox Board Chair and Jack Simington Vice Chair had no discussion and took no action on HB2097. It would appear from their statement that Nelson,Fox and Simington acted on their own.
If the Board was not involved then the question has to be raised as to who authorized the attorney to do the work and who paid for it? Further who is running the Board as it appears the Board members are in the dark on this issue. At the July Board meeting some progress was made in that a motion by Board member Ryan Martin directed that the Board be given the report to read. This will happen at the August Board meeting. Hopefully after that happens the Board will agree to make it public. Makes me wonder what is being hidden since the leadership of the Board keeps hiding behind privilege communication.
If the Board wants to have a full and honest discussion of the bill and its effect on LEOFF 1 and LEOFF 11 members as well as the employers then all must be put on the table for examination. There was some testimony at the hearing but it was full of what if’s and maybe’s and a lot more questions than answers. It was particularly noted that WACOPS sent its Vice President to address the Board. His only comments were that WACOPS supports the study and really profound was a statement that WACOPS believes that LEOFF 1 members should have a voice. More on this statement later.
The next LEOFF 11 Board meeting will be in August 24 so we’ll see what they decide. Also noted was that Kelly Fox who is also President of WSCFF has stated his organization will not be supporting HB2097 next session. This was in response to his commitment not to support the bill if HB2068 was defeated. I have also learned that despite WACOPS claim they were never part of the deception when Legislators were told that LEOFF 1 supported the bill is not exactly accurate. I have been advised by one Legislator that WACOPS did in fact imply or make statements leading them to believe LEOFF 1 was in support.
In the interim Dick,Jerry and I have met with or had contact with several Legislators who say they will not support this bill if it resurfaces next session. Let’s hope they honor that promise.
Now for what’s happening with WACOPS and the retired association.
At the June WACOPS general meeting in Walla Walla there was discussion about replacing the retired board member with an at large regular member. This motion failed and the delegates made it clear they want a retired on the Executive Board. There is a but though. The retired position shall be a LEOFF 11 retired shall only be nominated by a LEOFF 11 delegate and will only be voted by the delegates who are all LEOFF 11. LEOFF 1 will have no say on who is elected even though we make up over 95% of the WACOPS retired.
That presents another problem who is representing LEOFF 1 retirees? Should HB2097 come up again and WACOPS supports the bill then the retired board member will no doubt present that the retired also support the bill. It has been shown from my example that the WACOPS Board does not like dissention and everyone is expected to present a united front. To do otherwise will bring the rath of the remainder of the Board down on any public dissenters. Of particular interest was the above statement from WACOPS vice President that LEOFF 1 should have a voice. This is particularly interesting since he was working to remove the retired from the Board.
The good news is that the Washington State Association of Retired Police Officers is up and running again. I have talked to all the local organizations that made up the original retired association and all have agreed that we need to start it up again. We currently have a membership roster of over 1200 and a mailing list of an additional 150 that are not members. Next to Seattle Retired and Retired Firefighters that makes us one of the largest retired associations.
Sincerely,
Ken Crowder
WSARPO
It was a long tiring legislative session but in the end LEOFF 1 prevailed despite the constant battle with WACOPS,WSCFF and FOP. HB2097 was not exactly defeated but it was severely wounded. The Legislature provided $75k for the State Actuary to do an interim study. The LEOFF 11 Board is also looking at the bill and trying to decide what action if any they will take regarding the 2012 session. The bill is still active and can be brought up again next session. Hopefully it won’t but who knows.It was a long tiring legislative session but in the end LEOFF 1 prevailed despite the constant battle with WACOPS,WSCFF and FOP. HB2097 was not exactly defeated but it was severely wounded. The Legislature provided $75k for the State Actuary to do an interim study. The LEOFF 11 Board is also looking at the bill and trying to decide what action if any they will take regarding the 2012 session. The bill is still active and can be brought up again next session. Hopefully it won’t but who knows. I am still working with Jerry Taylor,Pres.Seattle Retired and Dick Warbrouck,Pres. Retired Firefighters of Wa. Both of these men have worked tirelessly on LEOFF 1 members behalf. We are still meeting on a regular basis to develop a strategy going forward. Phil Talmadge,Ret. State Supreme Court Chief Justice and ex Senator has been retained to help in the effort. Mr. Talmadge has been quite beneficial in his research regarding constitutional issues surrounding the proposed bill. We have also been in contact with Matt Smith,State Actuary and with Dept. Of Retirement Systems regarding the study committee that was ordered by the Legislature. We will be participating in that committee when in convenes.
In June we attended the LEOFF 11 Board meeting but not much of substance happened. Dick asked the Board to release the outside attorney report done for the Board regarding HB2097 but the request fell on deaf ears. What we did learn was that the members of the Board,with the exception of Steve Nelson Director,Kelly Fox Board Chair and Jack Simington Vice Chair had no discussion and took no action on HB2097. It would appear from their statement that Nelson,Fox and Simington acted on their own.
If the Board was not involved then the question has to be raised as to who authorized the attorney to do the work and who paid for it? Further who is running the Board as it appears the Board members are in the dark on this issue. At the July Board meeting some progress was made in that a motion by Board member Ryan Martin directed that the Board be given the report to read. This will happen at the August Board meeting. Hopefully after that happens the Board will agree to make it public. Makes me wonder what is being hidden since the leadership of the Board keeps hiding behind privilege communication.
If the Board wants to have a full and honest discussion of the bill and its effect on LEOFF 1 and LEOFF 11 members as well as the employers then all must be put on the table for examination. There was some testimony at the hearing but it was full of what if’s and maybe’s and a lot more questions than answers. It was particularly noted that WACOPS sent its Vice President to address the Board. His only comments were that WACOPS supports the study and really profound was a statement that WACOPS believes that LEOFF 1 members should have a voice. More on this statement later.
The next LEOFF 11 Board meeting will be in August 24 so we’ll see what they decide. Also noted was that Kelly Fox who is also President of WSCFF has stated his organization will not be supporting HB2097 next session. This was in response to his commitment not to support the bill if HB2068 was defeated. I have also learned that despite WACOPS claim they were never part of the deception when Legislators were told that LEOFF 1 supported the bill is not exactly accurate. I have been advised by one Legislator that WACOPS did in fact imply or make statements leading them to believe LEOFF 1 was in support.
In the interim Dick,Jerry and I have met with or had contact with several Legislators who say they will not support this bill if it resurfaces next session. Let’s hope they honor that promise.
Now for what’s happening with WACOPS and the retired association.
At the June WACOPS general meeting in Walla Walla there was discussion about replacing the retired board member with an at large regular member. This motion failed and the delegates made it clear they want a retired on the Executive Board. There is a but though. The retired position shall be a LEOFF 11 retired shall only be nominated by a LEOFF 11 delegate and will only be voted by the delegates who are all LEOFF 11. LEOFF 1 will have no say on who is elected even though we make up over 95% of the WACOPS retired.
That presents another problem who is representing LEOFF 1 retirees? Should HB2097 come up again and WACOPS supports the bill then the retired board member will no doubt present that the retired also support the bill. It has been shown from my example that the WACOPS Board does not like dissention and everyone is expected to present a united front. To do otherwise will bring the rath of the remainder of the Board down on any public dissenters. Of particular interest was the above statement from WACOPS vice President that LEOFF 1 should have a voice. This is particularly interesting since he was working to remove the retired from the Board.
The good news is that the Washington State Association of Retired Police Officers is up and running again. I have talked to all the local organizations that made up the original retired association and all have agreed that we need to start it up again. We currently have a membership roster of over 1200 and a mailing list of an additional 150 that are not members. Next to Seattle Retired and Retired Firefighters that makes us one of the largest retired associations.
Sincerely,
Ken Crowder
WSARPO